GAIL qualified for setting up JV for city gas in Syria

March 11, 2005, New DelhiGAIL (India) Limited is to set up a Joint Venture company with The Syrian Company for Distribution of Gaz for city gas distribution projects in Syria. GAIL has been qualified by the Syrian company amongst the 23 companies who had participated in the bidding process. In the next round, GAIL would be submitting aggressive technical and commercial bids shortly.

In the first stage, it is planned to set up 3 to 5 CNG stations in Damascus city and its suburbs. At a later stage, the project will be expanded to other large cities of Syria. The Scope of work of the joint enterprise to be established with the Syrian Company includes establishment of CNG stations in Damascus city and its country side in the first stage, pipeline network for supply of gas to the proposed CNG stations from the existing gas transmission system, workshops to convert vehicles to run on CNG and pipeline network for supply of gas to residential customers in various Syrian governorates.

The Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources (MPMR), Syria had invited offers for the qualification of companies who are interested in establishing a joint enterprise with the Syrian Company for Distribution of Gaz, national gas company of Syria, for the purpose of using Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) in vehicles.

Commenting on the development, GAIL Chairman and Managing Director, Mr. Proshanto Banerjee said, “GAIL has considerable expertise in retail gas distribution, covering residential, commercial, small industrial and transport sectors. GAIL, therefore, views this opportunity in line with its core competence as well as leveraging of its capabilities”.